(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to grips that help the human hand(s) to better grasp mobile devices.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Some mobile devices are small enough to be grasped on both sides by a normal human hand. However, other mobile devices are too large to conveniently grasp both sides with the normal human hand. These devices have, in the past, been typically held by grasping one edge or balancing it in the palm of the hand. Doing either of these is inconvenient. Typically, people must use two hands to securely hold the device. But then people do not have a free hand to tap, scroll, or otherwise address the mobile device manually.
On small tablet computers and cell phones, people typically use, or want to use, one hand to hold the mobile device. People tend to hold smaller devices more toward the fingertips of their hand, leaving their thumb free to curl around the front of the device so that the thumb can reach and touch all points on the screen of the device. By using only one hand on the device, people can use their other hand to open doors, carry objects, hold a child's hand, and so forth. However, some cell phones and many tablet computers are getting too wide to do this comfortably.
Mobile devices may include cell phones, iPods, iPads, tablet computers, handheld computers, PDAs, and other types of devices. In particular, tablet computers are becoming very popular in the market, and most are too large to be conveniently held with one hand. Users of tablet computers and other types of mobile devices usually need a free hand so that they can address the device with one or more fingers of the free hand. Addressing the device may include tapping or placing one or more fingers of the free hand on the device's screen to enter information or control the device.
It would be desirable if there was a way to conveniently, comfortably, and reliably grasp a mobile device with only one hand of a person. One sort of grasping mechanism is the “Flygrip” which can be viewed at www.flygrip.com. However, the Flygrip is undesirable for multiple reasons.
Typically, grasping of an object will occur by the person placing the thumb against one edge, placing one or more fingers of the same hand against the opposing edge, and then squeezing the thumb toward the fingers or vice versa. The two edges are typically opposing in that the surface of the first edge on which the thumb is placed is oriented roughly 180 degrees away from the surface of the second edge on which the finger(s) are placed. The distance between the two opposing edges is a matter of design choice, but typically is chosen to be a distance which most people can comfortably spread their fingers from their thumb. It should also be noted that people can use the portion of the hand's palm directly below the thumb, called the thenar, which is also movable in the same manner as the thumb itself.